Ponyshock: "Guardian" Squad

Bakewell stared in surprise at Sawdust’s rude gesture, eyes following the yellow pony for a few moments afterwards before shifting her gaze to the wooden clone. Why had this mare been carrying around a small version of Bakewell?

“Sawdust, it was just a joke, I didn’t think-“ She started to call after, but quickly shut up. That was just it. She didn’t think. Sawdust’s vision of Bakewell was probably some sadistic mare who went around drugging and threatening ponies due to that stupid Harmony Lane simulation. Of course the joke would be taken in a way unintended!

“Right. Gotcha, no jokes. Sorry.” She muttered lamely as she picked up the little pony-thing and put it into her saddlebags. If Sawdust had neglected to actually take the Sword Mares magazine, Bakewell would take it. There had to be a use for the thing.

She would then move up to the door Kira and Rodeo had walked through. She wanted to be close enough to run in and help the two should they need it, but didn’t really want to actually go through the door, since doing so meant leaving the larger group. She reflected on their current options as she waited.

Bakewell wasn’t really sure what to make of the two “sides” that had presented themselves so far. She knew nothing about neither the doctor-mare nor this Stock Option, and even a mare as dumb as Bakewell could tell that being rescued just as some sort of task was needed sounded extremely convenient. One side seemed like the ponies were being taken advantage of, and the other seemed like they were being toyed with.

"Looks clear, but be on your guard what ever that was..." Kira pointed a claw towards chandelier. "It might come back or might have attracted something ells."

The gryphon moved further in to the room beyond keeping watch from anything that might be a treat of for anything that might help them. She gave a signal to the others to keep moving, they could not just stay here and wait for something to come and help them they had to do things them selves.

After the voice disappeared, the group moved forward, beyond the doors lie a large relaxing barroom with no lights, but was still illuminated enough by the glow of an ocean that covered 2 walls and part of the ceiling, a set of stairways led into a lounge area lower beneath the bar level, the bar was square and had chairs completely surrounding it....off to the far right behind the bar stood another door.

Searching the bar reveals:-1x case of whiskey (12 bottles)-1x bottle of White Wine-10x 9mm rounds-1x holotape-A unique bottle that had red glass and said 'De chaufleur petite amore' Select!'it emitted a red glow and promised lots of fortunate to the one who drank it...roughly translated

Down in the lounge area, appeared to be two figures sitting looking out at the ocean, they haven't noticed the group as far as they could tell.

Lucky grabbed as many bottles of whiskey as he could, stuffing them into his bags as he laughed with glee. He managed to fit only 7 of the bottles in his sacks, so Lucky took an eighth bottle, opened it up, and drank the entire thing in one breath. When he finished, he set the bottle down, and belched loudly.

"Don't EVER go adventurin' totally sober, mates. Fucks up all the fun," Lucky said, and he grabbed the bottle of wine. "Hmmm... DAMN that's a good year... Who wants it?"

"HEY!" Kira shouted as she got over to the bar where Lucky had started to stash as many whisky bottles as he could stash in his bag. "Leave some for me." She took the remaining 4 bottles and put it in to her own saddlebag as she also took the whine bottle and what even that red bottle was how knew could be some kind of rare beverage.

"Hey we got 9mm ammo here and some kind of disk-thing." She took out the two items and placed them on the counter, it was only now she noticed the two figures looking out in to the ocean. Maybe they would not have signal their presence to loudly, she had still a lot to learn about keeping a low profile.

Sawdust moves slowly, carefully and ended her time in the room with the two ponies by the glass in sight. Her mind flikered a thought, window, underwater, the substance was probably under huge strain and would fail easily, best to, not shoot that direction if she could help it.

That thought in mind she cursed her lack of a horn, if she were even the weakest of ivory skulled ponies she'd be able to yell something like 'Down on the ground Hooves on your head!' to the ponies. Then shooting would be unncessary! As it was, she probably would have to kill them, particularly if they turned out to be hostile. The duster cloaked mare began a sneak up, to get a side shot, keeping to shadows and moving her hooves for maximum movement to sound effect. (Sneak 60)

Getting into position before the noise the others made alerted the someponies in the room, however, might not be possible. She hustled to get into a good spot to ambush the two from, hoping that the noise the others were making would distract from the noise she was making.

Cross just stared at Bakewell as her words hit home....every single inch of it was true...he went too far at Stableton...he saved the town, but he'd never be free of his responsibility, there were other things he could've done...but he had done what he felt he had to at the time. It was the only thing he would ever come to regret...and for that all he had to answer to Bakewell was shame, she'd help him...but there was something else....

"You're right Bakewell, you're just right...I should've just died with the General on that last day, you know what? that would've left everypony better off and happier without me...And we wouldn't be done here, so yes I admit it...at this point I'm just worthless trash and the wasteland would've been better without me...but I'm not here for myself anymore, I have a pony to find...thats all I care about, but I will help you find Scrap as well"

He could've continued and try to plead that he would do his best to fix it, but what was the point? He was indebted to her, she would never believe anything he said, he...needed absolution, ...he couldn't dare be with Winter if he was deep down just the horrible pony Bakewell was speaking off.

Shaking it off, Cross walked into the next room and spotted the bar, and sighed as soon as he saw Lucky stand up from behind the counter holding a whole case of whiskey, one of them appearing to have been drunk very recently...

By Luna....he just remembered that half-his team were alcoholics.....and they found a stocked tavern...

"..You know what Lucky, give me that wine...I need something to relax...." Cross pulled up a chair and got a glass and poured some wine.

"Whoo hoo, lookit the big drinker! Good to see yah finally stepped up with the big boys, mate!"

Lucky, who was ecstatic that he didn't have to go without a drink, was busy looking at the bottle of wine when Cross snatched it. As soon as he saw Cross pop the cork, Lucky grabbed one of the whiskey bottles back out from his bag and took a swig.

"T'commemorate the occasion!" He said with a grin. He closed it back up and replaced it, before heading over to the door behind the bar to see if maybe it was a store room, filled with more booze.

Bakewell gave Cross an affirmative nod and little else. A good friend would have tried to comfort him, but the mare was not his friend. A smarter pony would have offered advice to help him, but Bakewell wasn’t even smart enough to get fully past her own ‘It should have been me’s. Cross was on his own, for now.

As more ponies filed into the room, Bakewell followed.

“You’re drinking?” She asked the ponies assembled around the bar, and her tone strongly suggested an unspoken and exasperated “Really?” She sighed before taking the holotape. Nopony else seemed to want it, and at least it had more promise to help than the Sword Mares: Stallion Edition thing she was carrying. She wouldn’t play the tape yet, though. Not until she was sure they were safe enough to not draw stuff to them if it contained loud screaming or something.

Kira opened her pack were she had just stashed the bottle of white wine which she planed to keep for later or perhaps sell if they where to ever get out of this place. She let out a small sigh well the unicorn looked like he needed a drink so she quickly passed the bottle over to Cross for his enjoyment.

When the monitor behind Lucky sparked in to life with the loud pop sound where Kira near to shot it by the sudden unfamiliar sound of the now broken machine. She looked it for the longest time after in when silent with the face still a mystery to her.

"Okay could some one tell me what that was?" She did not like this it felt like the group had walked in to a trap, why would anyone leave all this even if it was alcohol it was still worth something to somepony hell if she was trapped underwater with no sure way out she would probably do anything for it.

Sawdust stared at the corpses, dry but not, they had passed their stinking stage at least, so there was that. Since the two were unlikely to come back to life she slunk back to the group, seeking out Bakewell since the filly seemed to be the only one not getting drunk. The yellow mare stepped in front of the group's beige mare and placed down her gun briefly, "I need help, two bodies up by the windows."

Sawdust wasn't going to simply rifle the bodies alone, goddesses knew if the other members of the party would even bother to investigate or if they'd be conscious in a few minutes. The way they were gulping down Wild Pegasus they would all be passed out before the hour was done.

Two bodies? Were they somepony she knew? No, she could see the bodies from here now that they had been mentioned. What did Sawdust need help with? They definitely were bodies, and they presumably were in fact dead. So what did the yellow mare need help with? Looting? Why would two people need to do that? Did it really matter? Bakwell would help anyway.

“I’d love to help, Sawdust.” And wasn’t that the truth. “Just a tic.”

“Hey, guys. There’s something me and Sawdust need to check out. Don’t get drunk and hobble off too far without at least telling us.” She called over her shoulder to the group by the bar. She still couldn’t believe that they were drinking at a time like this. “We’ll be right over by the windows. We shouldn’t be long.”

Sawdust led her back and then looked at the bodies more carefully. She pondered how much to say, how little, a small part of her wondered if Bakewell would be offended on the other side of what she was going to say, the other side, didn't much care, that one was bigger. That side won, "You get that one I'll rifle this one, hopefully we'll have all four legs afterward." She waited for the understanding to light in Bakewell's eyes so that she could gulp and go about looting the corpse. Please don't be trapped!

As Bake and Sawdust went around the two bodies, they didn't seem to be too remarkable, one seemed to be a mare and had a bullet through the front of her skull while the other had it through the side of his head, in his lap, his hoof laid over a .357. On a coffee table between them, laid a note.

"My last message is on the bar Mixer, me and my wife are leaving, the tavern is gone...we've pretty much gone underwater, if you're reading this then something didn't work out how I planned and I need you to grab my gun, get out and save yourself....

It was a pleasure to be your friend Mixer..."

Items:-.357 on the dead buck's lap-1 note-2 upper-class wear on both the husband and wife-A suitcase containing 12 caps

Bakewell nodded as she understood what was expected of her. She was wanted for help looting, though the beige mare wasn’t really sure why she wouldn’t have all of her limbs afterwards. She nodded and got to work.

-----

“He killed his wife.” Bakewell concluded sadly after reading the note- it had been the first thing she had focused on. “He shot himself afterwards. Guess escape wasn’t possible. I bet the holotape I picked up says more about them. I owe it a listen when we're safer.”

She would keep the note and the suitcase, maybe eventually she could attach it to her back and carry more. Sawdust clearly knew more about guns and could decide how usable the gun was. The clothes Bakewell didn't care about, and it would seem slightly wrong to declothe the corpses.

Sawdust let out the breath she was holding. No traps. Good, good. As the looting finished she snuck around to read the note along side Bakewell. The other mare's analysis was her own, she'd heard once about a business going under, back when life was nice. "Umm, well no bombs at least, small favors eh?" She recited awkwardly. The caps and the gun would come with.

After a moment longer she looked at Bakewell, "Ummm, I err... I wanna be there when you play the tape." Sawdust really wanted to know, over the years scavenging she'd run across almost countless tapes, which for her held less than no value. Now there was somepony with a player for them and the yellow mare planned on exploiting that fact.

...As soon as Sawdust lifting the .357, a cord attached to the inner chamber of the gun resisted....there was a loud clank...and some fish wire lifted throught the hidden edges of the room...leading all the way to a potted plant that had dirt surrounding it. It stood in the corner of the room, near one of the glass panes.

It exploded....The weight of the ocean began to fill up throught the small opening into the classy tavern, quickly Bake and Sawdust were nearly pushed by the rush of water and by the time they regained their balance, they stood in 1 foot of water, but it was quickly rising.

The others who were up the stairs in the bar area were safe for now, but could easily see water filling the room.

Bomb? What bom- oh… oh dear. That would have been terrible. She would lose so much if one of her limbs went missing! It would be- no, there was no need to think about such things because luckily there wasn’t a bomb!

“Of course, Sawdust. In fact, ju-“ Bakewell began before everything suddenly went sour. There was a bomb! Of course there would be a bomb! At least it hadn’t crippled the two in addition to trying to drown them. The rising water level was definitely a problem, and Bakewell adamantly decided that her and water were no longer on speaking terms. You just didn’t hang out with things that tried to drown you twice in one day.

“Flooding!” She cried in a voice that, while as loud as she could manage after being suddenly smacked in the face by an ocean, still fell short of what she would have liked. She immediately began trying to push through the rapidly rising water. If she could get upstairs, maybe she could unrun the flood. Could you outrun a flood? She really hoped that you could outrun a flood.

A loud noise was heard. Lucky quickly turned around from the doorway to look at the source of the commotion: A potted plant had exploded, and the room was now quickly filling with water.

"Oh, that's just fucking perfect," He said in a grumpy voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "Lemme see if there's an exit in the back room..." He pulled his gun, turned back to the door, and stepped through, ready for anything.

She felt the resistance in the gun, felt it slow down as she tried to hide it away in her collection of stuff. As she felt it, she tried to stop, but such things being what they are she couldn't do it in time. Instead her eyes traced the now barely visible wire as it snaked around and around and around into a pot.

"Goddesses." Was all she managed before the bomb went off and crumpled the window next to it. She stared for a brief moment, before turning and fleeing in the same direction as Bakewell. That direction being a logical one, away from the water. The gun was left where it fell when she dropped it out of shock, and if it hadn't she'd have likely thrown it out, Trap components were cursed as far as Sawdust was concerned. As she ran she spewed a string if vile and derivative curses at nopony in particular.

As others made good on the idea of getting out a realization hit that hurt, this was the second time in less than a day that she had imperiled multiple ponies in such a way. Maybe it wasn't other ponies she had to fear, but herself, her current record was turning out to be very bad for survival promoting actions...

Up in the bar area Dawn was finishing his final round of scavenging the area of anything useful that might have been missed "damn" he muttred under his breath nothing at all had been found, he looked back at the group of his fellow survivors as they all drank, a shiver ran down his spine remembering what had been the after math of the last time he had been drunk.

The thought was cut off abuptly by a nearby explosion and the breaking of glass...... Not a good sound. Running down into the lounge area to see wh- SWEET CELESTIA A FLOOD...... And with closer inspection he saw both Bakewell and Sawdust trying to escape the clutches of the water that were quickly approaching.

Extending his wings to maximum wingspan he prayed to celestia "please make this work" as he flew to the two mares hoping to bring them back to safety.

Athanix had been chilling in the back watching the group go on with their findings and what not as he observed the places they had been. In the back of his mind though he though that he should contribute to the groups endeavours, but then again they didn't even seem to notice his absence...

Never the less though his place didn't cease to surprise him as a loud boom resonated through out the room and the sound of rushing water soon filled it as well. He did see two mares down in the waters and a young buck going into save them as well. Might as well do the same instead of idly standing here and waiting for something to happen.

Tightening his bags and adjusting his glasses, Nix ran over to the two mares in an attempt to rescue them.

This was bad this was really, really bad. When the resounding boom of the explosive potted plant sounded thought the room and the water of the ocean began to flood in to the room with speed Kira just stood there for a minute not sure what had happened. Watching the others trying to help Bakewell and Sawdust she was not sure what to do, she was not good with water especially highly radioactive ocean water but finally she decided on what to do.

The gryphon ran over to the where the water was flooding the area, it was not time to thing she simply jumped down in to the radiated water hope that she was strong enough to get them out of there with out she also going under.

"Be ready to grab them!" she shouted over the aggressive clicking of her pipbuck warning her to the radiation levels that her body was soaking up, why did she always jump in to things before thinking well no time to think about that now. She reached Bakewell and hope that the strong mare could fight the current until she had reached Sawdust and pulled her out of the worth of it.

Okay fighting the flood was harder then she thought but she managed to reach Sawdust and reached after the small mare, Kira might be a small gryphon but she was big for pony standards so she hoped that he mare would not be to much of a burden for her when signalled for her to climb on to her back.

Kira and Atriark managed to work together and get Bakewell and Sawdust out of the ocean water and back upstairs, following Lucky's lead the others went with him, since they couldn't stay.

Once through the door, failsafes prevented the group from going back the way they came....ahead of them was a long marble hallway with some lights actually working and lighting the way down. To the sides, appeared to be restaurants and ...oh good more taverns..... a single tavern with lights stood out, but two cameras watched each side....